Kulig still makes me smileThe snow hasn’t stopped but our first Kulig/Polish Happy Hour to celebrate it has come and gone. Everytime I get a annoyed with the cold and ice I think back to what it felt like to by Lake Glacier at night with the music in the distance and the snow softly falling. It was like living in a snow globe.

In the hectic days leading up to Kulig, the Team opened every conversation saying : “We're planning a beautiful event and everybody's going to LOVE it! “ We were doing it to stay calm and help morale, but you must’ve been listening! I must say that the response from our PolishYoungstown faithful and the Youngstown community at large was an overwhelming success. Let's face it- the Davis Center, okay, the whole park, is a jewel of our community and the venue itself was a big draw under a beautiful blanket of snow. I commend the staff and volunteers (Arlene, Linda, Carol, Ray and all the others) of Mill Creek Metroparks who weren't quite sure what to expect from this "Kulig". Heartfelt thanks go out to our live entertainment who kept everybody singing, dancing and smiling. The talents of Jeff Kaiser, the artist responsible for the ice sculptures was incredible. It is estimated that approximately 700 guests came through the doors during the course of the evening and others were being turned away in the driveway for lack of parking. Clarke Johnson, the newly appointed park director, had such a great time that he proclaimed next year will be BIGGER AND BETTER! More food, more carvers, a full band and live entertainment at the cabin and—of course—more carriages. Thanks to all of you who came out to enjoy it and were patient with the first year glitches.I believe we donated a nice amount to benefit the Mill Creek Park Childrens' Programs while having a great time. During the course of this year, Polish Happy Hour will partner with a different area charity/non-profit each month.The loudest applause goes out to Ken Shrilla, PHH Chairman he was seemingly everywhere at once. Afterward he commented that he reluctantly took the chairmanship, but after seeing all the joy that this Kulig brought to so many people, “it's all worth it for me.” If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to let him know.

CBS Journalist Coming to YoungstownEmmy-winning TV host and bestselling author Rita Cosby will visit to the area next week for Quiet Hero: Secrets from My Father's Past, on Tuesday, February 8that 7 PM McKay Auditorium, Beeghly College of Education at Youngstown State University. Her new book is an inspiring story of redemption, and a tribute to her father who was a young resistance fighter against the Nazis and later a German prisoner of war. Cosby's talk is presented by the Polish Arts Club of Youngstown, YSU Journalism Department and the Society for Collegiate Journalists. The PAC invites you to join them in hosting Cosby for dinner at Café Cimmento before the talk. Call Sandy at 330-719-4238 to reserve a spot.

While going through mementos after her mother's death, Cosby uncovered pieces of her father Richard Cosby's never-talked about past. She knew he had left Poland after World War II, and that because of his many scars, visible and not, he had always refused to answer questions. But in a suitcase she uncovered stark pieces from the youth of Ryszard Kossobudzki: a worn and bloodied Polish Resistance armband and a rusty prisoner tag from Stalag IV-B.W

As a journalist, I've spoken with and investigated some of the most notable and notorious people on the planet, from Pope John Paul II to the Son of Sam, but I realized I had never focused my investigative skills on my own past,” says Cosby, currently a special correspondent for the CBS syndicated newsmagazine Inside Edition. “Now that I have, I know the most important person I've ever sat down with is not a world leader, celebrity, or other notable, but my own dad.”

Polish Happy Hour heads to PolandAfter many attempts to make it happen under the former owners, on Thursday Feb. 10th we invite you to join us at Five PointsWine and Bar off Western Reserve Road in Poland. Come join us to learn about love and relationships in Poland when we talk about Walentynki. Unlike the Anglo-Saxon Valentine’s Day, which as a commercial promotion has also spread to Poland in recent years, our Polish heritage includes a whole series of events celebrating boy-girl fascination, love and marriage. Our Non-profit Partner to benefit from the raffles this month is Mended Hearts. This all-volunteer group has been offering the gift of hope to heart disease patients, their families and caregivers for 60 years. Recognized for its role in facilitating a positive patient-care experience,Mended Hearts support groups help people understand that there can be a rich, rewarding life after heart disease. Members listen, share their experiences, learn from healthcare professionals and volunteerto talk to other heart patients about what they may face including lifestyle changes, depression, recovery, and treatment. Their mission is to “inspire hope in heart disease patients and their families.” Mended Little Heartsprovides hope and support to children, families and caregivers impacted by congenital heart defects in order to extend and improve quality of life. Learn more about it at mendedhearts.org or call 330-702-8859.

Yipee! We are on Yahoo Polish Global VillageAfter years of reading, PolishYoungstown has been selected to be a contributor to the Yahoo! group for Poland-related issues and events. Edited by Marcin Zmudzki, the newsletter focuses on Metro Washington, D.C. Polonia, but since that community has a global outlook it makes a few exceptions. When sent our initial message earlier this week, we were immediately contacted by the Polish Arts group of Cincinnati as well as some of its readers: “I saw your news about Polish Youngstown on the Polish Village email. Your club looks like GREAT fun! My mom lives in Orlando, but would like to join your group. Is it possible to be a virtual member?” Dawn Hudson, Tampa FL Of course we said yes and told her how to sign up for the newsletter. Encourage your friends and family to do the same to both What’s Happening in PolishYoungstown and Polish Global Village.

St. Stan’s Church is not closedLast month we covered the ending of a regular Polish Mass at St. Stanislaus Kostka. While PolishYoungstown aims to promote a strong Polish identity in the communiity, we do not want to promote any erroneous ideas. To clarify, St. Stanislaus Kostka still has a Saturday Mass at 4p.m. and a 10:30a.m. Mass on Sunday, both in English. The Parish still has rich Polish ties, evidenced by the beautiful Polish hymns which will be a part of Masses which fall on the 4th or 5th Sundays of each month. Similarly, the Parish intends to continue special liturgical events such as Gorzkie Zale during lent. The recent Diocesan reconfiguration has St. Stan's collaborating with St. Columba Cathedral which is undergoing efforts to merge with St. Casimir Parish. To stay up to date on St. Stan’s regarding pierogi sales and other events like their spaghetti dinner on February 20th, check their updated website.

PYTown Team Members Receive RecognitionOur Community Outreach Coordinator, Marianne Jameson Poprik, was recently honored by The American Business Women’s Associationfor her outstanding work on the local chapter’s newsletter, The Mill Creek Messenger. The newsletter was chosen by the group out of a field of 30 entries as one of the top five newsletters in the nation. The winning newsletter was announced at the organization’s National Women’s Leadership Conference held in Chattanooga late last year, after first winning at the district level competition in the spring.Marianne was presented with the award at the chapter’s Christmas Party. Marianne has been a member of the local Mill Creek Chapter since 1993 and has been editor of the newsletter for six years.Consisting of eight to ten pages, the newsletter is published monthly and is mailed or emailed to chapter members.It is also available on the chapter’s web site. In addition to PolishYoungstown, Polish Arts Club and ABWA, Marianne is also the president of the local group of retired telephone employees, the Telephone Pioneers Youngstown Life Member’s Club.

New Media Coordinator, Sean Petiya, is participating in art show at McDonoughMuseum this month. The work includes six original photographs set against data collected from the social network, Twitter. The data is aggregated from 6 different countries, at around the same time (UTC) using a custom written application. The data samples are from Dresden, New York, Hollywood, Warsaw, Paris, and Rome on 12/26. The exhibit is part of the Reunion 20th Anniversary Alumni Invitational. The Museum invited more than 60 faculty-recommended Department of Art Alums to be a part of this special exhibition. The participants range from recent graduates to those from 1970 and represent a broad range of disciplines. It will be on display until March 18, 2011.

Kosciuszko Debutantes WantedThe Kosciuszko Foundation's Debutante Council is now eagerly accepting applications for debutantes to be presented to society at the 76th Annual Foundation Dinner and Ball on Saturday, April 30, 2011in the Grand Ballroom of New York's Waldorf Astoria. Young ladies between the ages of 16 and 25 with a background of scholastic achievement and communityservice are encouraged to participate in the Ball. The Council prepares them for their appearance through meetings and a special luncheon. The Debutante Presentation at the Ball is a much-anticipated event, instilling in young women a sense of traditional values, education, and conduct in sophisticated social settings. It is an exciting and elegant experience that makes memories to last a lifetime. Duke basketball’s “Coach K” Mike Krzyzewski is the honored guest at this year’s event. Learn more about it here.